When this photo was taken in January 1953, Tacoma Public Library's new Main Library at 1102 Tacoma Ave South had been open for just over one year. Shown here is the check-out desk, where a man in a topcoat waits for his library book to be checked out to him by a library employee. Across…
Presidential Birthday Cake, 1937
In January 1937, polio victim Shirley Ford, Mayor George Smitley, and Model Bakery owner Gus C. Westerdale posed with a special cake created for the President Roosevelt Birthday Ball to benefit Infantile Paralysis (Polio) research. The cake was topped with a bust of FDR and would be put on display in the bakery's window. Young…
Frozen Sing-Along Recap
On Saturday, December 17th forty-five children and adults delighted in all things Frozen at the Wheelock Branch. Children decorated crowns and made snow wands before getting their pictures taken with Elsa. During the interactive showing of the film, we sang along and bounced balloons when we spotted trolls, blew bubbles when Olaf sang about summer…
Fort Lewis, 1969
Army personnel could choose from cold and hot snacks at the built-in vending machines at Fort Lewis in January of 1969. Milk, sodas and ice cream were located near the right wall, and soups and dry snacks were on the left. Bright red chairs coupled with turquoise tables provided space to dine and gather…
And now for something a little bit different: Northwest Room periodicals
Your local library branch subscribes to a wide selection of newspapers and periodicals, but in the Main branch’s Northwest Room you can find magazines devoted to all things Washington and the Pacific Northwest. Titles include Mazama Monthly Bulletin, Sea Chest, Washington Thoroughbred, Wooden Boat and a variety of historical society newsletters. For the genealogist in…
Mother’s March, 1958
On January 20, 1958, ten women posed on the steps of the Tacoma Athletic Commission's headquarters on Ruston Way to support the Mothers March of Dimes annual campaign. Pierce County was very active in collecting funds for the March of Dimes, with areas of the county divided into several sections and campaigns carefully planned to solicit…
A Lover’s Oath, 1926
In January of 1926, an unidentified uniformed usherette stood at attention next to the ornate ticket booth within the exterior foyer of the Pantages Theater, located at 901 Broadway. The silent film "A Lover's Oath" starring Ramon Navarro and Kathleen Key opened at the Pantages on January 16, 1926 and ran for the traditional one…
Snow Storm, 1950
The snow storm that hit Tacoma on January 13, 1950 turned downtown into a winter wonderland. In this photograph, taken the evening of January 14th, a man wearing an overcoat, hat and boots stops to look in the window of Nancy's Baby Portrait Studio at 736 Pacific Avenue. Tacoma had received almost nine inches of…
Aerial Tacoma, 1961
This aerial view of Tacoma, taken from 1,200 feet, shows I-5 and the 38th Street cloverleaf as they appeared in January of 1961. The simple curve of the highway had not yet been complicated by the addition of the Highway 16 interchange. The houses to the left are surrounded on the north and west by…
The Branding Iron, 1958
A distinctly Western motif greeted customers of the Branding Iron restaurant in January, 1958. Horseshoes, pistols, gates, and even a steer's head decorated the walls. Jukeboxes would be readily accessible for patrons to play their favorite tunes. Owned by Leo Balistreri and Ernie Zarelli, the Branding Iron was located at 8413 Pacific Avenue across the…
1 - 10 of 11
- Go to page 1
- Go to page 2
- Next page